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The economics of art and art industry: Patrons, artists and artisans in 18th century Stockholm
| This project deals with the economics of art and art industry, the main question being how 18th century art, decorative art and architecture were organised and financed.
The approach of the project is inspired by the research team of David Freedberg and Jan de Vries, presented in their edited volume Art in History, History in Art, in 1991. In this volume, the interdisciplinary effort is to problematize how art is socially and economically embedded in society, and how the two academic disciplines, art history and economic history, can inspire and cultivate each other theoretically and methodologically.
Inspired by this approach, it is the aim of this project to investigate the art market in 18th century Stockholm that was a center for patronage, the luxury industry and import centre of Swedish-Finnish consumer goods. Central concepts in the project are power, maintenance, art markets, art guilds and consumption of architecture, art and handicrafts.
Three studies are planned: 1. a descriptive statistical investigation of the patrons, artists and artisans in Stockholm 1720-1810 2. a network analysis of the social and economic relationships and interdependencies between patrons, artists and artisans when large construction projects that included decorative art, paintings in interiors and buildings, were conducted. 3. an analysis of the importance of the Manufakturkontoret (1739–1766) for the development of Swedish handicrafts and industry of applied art.
The project is integrated in a European joint research network, NESICT; led and and co-ordinated by Professor Dr Dagmar Freist at the Geschichte der Frühen Neuzeit/Carl von Ossietzky Universität, Oldenburg. (www.nesict.eu) See also www.vr.se (The Swedish Research Council)
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